Tuesday, February 12, 2008

So I'm going to the Windy City on Thursday to compete in the Jessup International Moot Court Tournament. I need a good collection of tunes to accompany my travels and entrance into the land of the Bulls and Bears. I'm thinking a of a good mix of Chicago-related songs, oral argument related songs, and just plain good tunes.

So what are some good ones to include?

I only make one stipulation. The "eye of the tiger" is not allowed. That song wasn't too bad but then it got way overused as a psych-up song for high school sports teams. Then it got even worse when it got overused as a psych-up song for middle-school girls basketball teams. Then it plummeted even further when it got overused as a psych-up song for cheerleaders. To use it as a psych-up song for a moot court team would just be adding insult to injury.

Maybe I need three lists: one to enter Chicago, one to leave Chicago triumphantly if we place well, and one to leave Chicago despondently if we get knocked out early.

Okay, so Frank Sinatra has two Chicago-related songs in his catalog: "Chicago (That Toddlin' Town)" and "My Kind of Town." The toddlin' one is a good entry song, and "My Kind of Town" would be an excellent triumphant return song as you were leaving.

I also highly recommend that you put some Chicago-style blues on your playlist. Muddy Waters, who I believe is in your collection, was one of the front-runners of the Chicago blues movement.

You probably don't have any old Chicago jazz in your collection, but if you manage to get your hands on some Bix Beiderbeck or Earl Hines, that would also be appropriate.

And I second the recommendation of Illinoise. Excellent album. Especially, of course, the track titled "Chicago."

A good oral argument song is "James K. Polk." After all, he was "Napoleon of the Stump" and "his oratory filled his foes with fear."

Yeah, choral arrangements that always follow the same model (whole choir on the first verse, then just women, then just men, then key change and all together for the big finale, and don't forget to slow down and drag out the last three notes).